Part 5/9:
John Aubrey’s accounts illustrate that sin eaters were not only tasked with taking on the sins of the departed but also faced social ostracization, likened to the biblical scapegoat. Their actions hinged upon a belief that such absorption could alleviate the departed's penal burdens in the afterlife, allowing them a peaceful transition. Sin eaters were frequently compensated—albeit meagerly—for their grim service.